Rhoades is no stranger to the community. For 13 years, he lived in either West Linn or Wilsonville, and also worked with several West Linn-Wilsonville administrators while he pursued a doctorate of education at the University of Oregon.

That familiarity with administrators and the community proved to be a boon for the administrator, who has also worked as a chief academic officer at the Bend-LaPine School District and held various administrative roles in the Woodburn school District.

“In the coming weeks and months, you will find that he is very tuned into this district and what we stand for,” said board member Keith Steele. “It won’t be a culture shock.”

The district’s five-person school board was integral during the months-long superintendent search, which was headed by search consultant Greg McKenzie after Woehl announced his retirement last summer after 17 years in the district.

Board members, who spent hours poring over applications, interviewing seven different candidates, and making site visits for two finalists, stressed that they did not take the decision lightly.

“We realized that this is probably the most important decision that we can make as a board for our entire tenure,” said board member Dale Hoogestraat. “And that’s how we approached this decision.”

As board members described their support for their choice, many noted Rhoades’ references. Board member Jeff Hallin said the term “cream of the crop” crept into the conversation several times as they dug into Rhoades’ long list of former colleagues and employers.

Board member Robert Fernandez also noted Rhoades’ actual results – he had helped cultivate programs in Woodburn that were “continuing to produce quality results,” even now in his absence from the district. Rhoades has said he worked hard to help implement bilingual programs in that community.

For his part, Rhoades said he and his family were “humbled” by the decision: “We’re so excited to come back to this community,” he said. “I have so much respect for these leaders.”

He will approach the new position with an open mind, as well as some trepidation, he said. Oregon is heading into some “unprecedented times,” Rhoades said, which will produce some challenging decisions.

“For me, this is the first time as the superintendent of schools, so it’s exciting and challenging,” Rhoades said. “I know there are some unknowns and a lot of learning that I’ll need to do.”